Improvement in fruit-crates



D. GHANIE.

Fruit Crates. No, 142,148, PafenredAugusrzns.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- CHARLES A. LEE,

0E SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FRUIT-CRATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,148, dated August 26, 1873; application filed June 2s, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL CRANE, of Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Crate for Fruit, Vegetables, 85e., of which the following is a speciiication:

The object of thisinvention is to provide means for holding and protecting fruits, vegetables, and similar commodities in the coursev of transportation, storage, or' sale; and it consists of a crate constructed of slats and heads secured together, as hereinafter described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 Arepresents an outside view of a crate constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an outside viewof a portion of the crate, showing the gains which receive theheads and the wires or cords. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of Fig. ltaken on the linemx.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the staves or slats, placed a suitable distance from each other, according to the use for which the crate is intended, and in number according to the size or diameter desired. B represents the heads, two or more in number, according to the size and number of compartments of the crate. These heads are plain disks, of either-wood or metal, but preferably of wood. The heads are secured in the groove c of the staves. The edge of the head and the groove may be in any form, either ri ght-angled gains and straight edges, as seen in the drawing, or V-shaped, like the croze and head of a barrel. The requisite number of staves or slats to surround the heads are conconnected together by means of wires or cords D. The strands of the wires or cords are twisted together between the staves, as a provision for keeping them in proper position. The

strands of which the wires or cords C are composed are thus on each side ofV the staves and in the gains, as seen in Fig. 1. When the staves are thus connected by the wires they are wrapped around the heads and the two outside staves are secured together by the sliding gripes E, one or more for each head.

The operation of this gripe is most plainly seen in the section, Fig. 3.

By slipping this gripe back from the head the staves may be sprung up and the head readily removed, and it is as readily replaced and secured when the gripe isreplaced.

All the heads may be removed by sliding the grip es therefrom,when the staves may be rolled up together and the whole cratemade to occupy but little space in return-transportation or storage when not in use.

Instead of gains or grooves in the staves, pins or nails may be employed to keep the heads in position, but I prefer the gains or grooves.

The advantages are that fruits or vegetables confined in these crates are Well ventilated and well protected, and the crate maybe knocked down77 and put together with perfect ease and facility.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentrlhe combination, with a series of staves arranged in grooves of heads-B, of the Ilexible binders C and gripersE, as and for the purpose described.

` DANIEL CRANE.

Witnesses:

SPENCER MARTIN, JoEN G. HoeEBooM. 

